Hi Everyone,      

 

I thought I would take a few moments to reflect back on our year at Beth Ohr and to also look forward to our journey together next year.        

 

It has really been another wonderful year that we have shared together.  Our community has continue to thrive and grow closer while making room for some new folks who have joined us both at our Kabbalat Shabbat services and at our Shabbat morning Torah study.      

 

This year we made some significant changes to our spiritual practice starting with the High Holiday season during which we explored our new High Holiday Prayerbook, Lev Shalem. We chose to make this change in Machzorim (High Holiday prayerbooks)  to update our practice and because this wonderful book has amazing teachings and resources on every page to help enrich the High Holiday experience.  We have also made some wonderful additions to our liturgy with some traditional and yet new prayers and songs.  We are so blessed to have Cantor Andy, whose beautiful voice and music leads us and inspires us .    

 

Some of the highlights of what has been a special year have been the Community Healing songfest in August, our Sukkot celebration, our beautiful Passover community Seder and of course bringing the Torah scroll out of its place of rest to join us during our Shabbat Torah study. Yes, it has been a great year and the board, Cantor Andy and I are now starting to plan on how to continue to help the community grow spiritually while still honoring its history of Beth Ohr.  It is a very special and intimate and welcoming place for all who join us.      

 

Here are some of the events we already have planned for this coming year. This summer we will all be blessed and honored to join Joshua Halstead on his deepening journey into Jewish community as he celebrates his adult Bar Mitzvah.  Joshua is already busying preparing for this special day.  It will be so touching to see him take this big step and have his family place his great grandfather’s Tallit on his shoulders as he approaches the Torah to read the Ten Commandments.      

 

Another special event that is in our plans this year is the dedication of the Torah Binder for our Czech Memorial Torah. Many of you know how much Kavanah and inspiration Claudia Kohner has brought to the task of creating a Torah binder for our Czech Memorial Torah.  Claudia’s family has historical roots in Czechoslovakia and by creating this beautiful hand sewn binder Claudia has become bound even more deeply to her family roots. The binder will also bring all of us to a place of appreciation and gratitude that Beth Ohr has been gifted with this Torah to hold and cherish. It is a symbolic true “survivor” of a terrible time in Jewish history and an enduring symbol of Jewish resilience. Details of how we will celebrate the dedication of this Torah binder are in process and if you have interest in helping Claudia plan this event please be in touch with her.    

 

And finally, I know that for many of us the High Holidays are a precious time.  Cantor Andy and I have already begun to plan our High Holiday services.  Some of the initial ideas we have are to add more music and singing to our services and to create a new teaching for Yom Kippur afternoon in which we will explore the Book of Job. The book of Job is an amazing text that has been used by many teachers in our tradition to try and understand the eternal and difficult question of “Why do Bad Things happen to Good people?” This question is especially relevant as we complete our High Holiday season and enter into a new year filled with uncertainties. Our hopes are that the High Holiday process this year will allow us all to enter the new year with a sense of renewed hope for a better world and a better life filled with joy and blessings.      

 

I would also like to say just one more thing. I am so grateful for all of the support and care you give Beth Ohr. We are blessed to have a wonderful board leading and guiding us. Jewish life is best celebrated in community,  I feel so fortunate to have the Beth Ohr community to share my life with.

 

Sending blessings to you all!!!

Rabbi Jason